A Day In The Cold Life

Thought you might be interested in the various routines that have developed here, over the winter, for keeping the place livably warm. Here’s how a typical weekday runs:

– Wake up– Turn off the electric blanket (aka “The Roaster”), if on (sometimes set at 2 out of 10 overnight– which uses about 1/4 kWh, or 4¢, of electricity.)– Get up and immediately put on slippers, fleece, maybe hat/toque.– Go downstairs and flip on the boiler switch to activate hot water.– Wait 5 minutes for hot water. In meantime, make coffee. Maybe use toilet. Flush with cold water from designated vessels (see below.)– Turn on bathroom heat-reclamation devices (fan, dehumidifier– see upcoming whacknut post.)– Empty cold water from bathtub (see below.)– Take nice hot shower. Keep plug in tub drain. Warm water will stay in tub until it is cold (see recent whacknut post.)– Exit shower. Dry off in relatively warm bathroom (has usually gone from about 52F to 68F). Turn off reclamation devices.– Turn off boiler switch. Using kitchen tap, run remaining hot water into designated vessels (old joint compound bucket, old mini beer keg) until all the boiler tank runs cool– about 7 gallons. Cover vessels and leave in kitchen to cool.– If it looks like a sunny day, open blinds on the west side of house (only side that gets direct sun in winter.)– Go to work.…– Come home. – Close window blinds, if opened.– Move designated vessels of cooled water from kitchen (which is warmest place in house) to half-bathroom (coldest place) to complete cooling.– Warm up kitchen, if needed, with various combinations of space heater, cats, baking, cooking, candles, body heat, and Led Zeppelin with the subwoofer turned up high.– If needed for bathing or domestic chores, turn the hot water back on. If the dishwasher is run, collect the hot-water discharge in a big bucket and keep in kitchen till cooled. Same with washing machine, if using warm-water cycle. Turn hot water off again.– 15 minutes before bed, turn Roaster on “10” (180W).– Get in bed. Turn Roaster off, or down to “2” if it’s a cold night.– Night-night.